2008 Woodie Awards
To run or not to run
Deborah Chessey
Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Life
Many people take advantage of the bus that runs from Idaho Falls to Pocatello. We are the ecologically conscious. Having forty of us in the same vehicle keeps cars off the road and lessens toxic emissions. We are doing our part for that hole in the ozone layer.
We are also riding the bus because gas is expensive, and we are college students who need to save our extra money for things like ramen noodles and rent.
There comes a point in most bus-riders' lives when we are running late and arrive at the bus stop just as the bus is pulling away. This is a moment of panic for bus-riding patrons. Before we decide to make what seems to be a futile run to catch the ever-shrinking ISU bus fleet, we make a few mental calculations. If it is the morning bus we are missing, we ask ourselves how important our classes are for that day. According to Murphy's Law, any day in which we are about to miss the bus will be a day in which our presence is required in the classroom. The next question we ask ourselves is if we can afford to drive to Pocatello. The answer to that question was decided the day we bought our bus pass.
If we are missing the bus ride home, things are much more serious. Will there be another bus in an hour or is this our last ride home? Again, because of Murphy's laws, this will be the last ride home and so we make a run for the bus as we watch it slowly disappear over the horizon.
The decision to run usually starts with a hand wave and a shout of "Wait!" Then we are running, fully aware that many bus riding patrons are looking out the window, irritated that the whole bus is now running late and are secretly hoping that the runner drops something or falls down.
I received the wonderful opportunity to run after the massive automobile last week. Of the thoughts that ran through my mind as I chugged toward the bus, the most pressing was "how much of me is jiggling.?" It is one of the strange things about being a woman. The body consciousness and the thought that we are not looking svelte and graceful constantly nags. Of course, in pursuit of catching up to a vehicle that can go at least ten times faster than I could ever dream, I dropped my tablet and had to stop, go in reverse to pick it up and then start running again.
Luckily for me, the bus driver has seen my face many times and he waited for me. He even politely assured me that it was no problem. Once I found a seat, I planted myself and huffed and puffed for a few minutes. Then I congratulated myself on not missing the bus and also my recent decision to change to the more powerful deodorant.
It is embarrassing to run for the bus. It cannot be anywhere near as embarrassing as the story I heard from a dental hygienist who made the bus on time, but required a stop at the rest area. Running to the bus is embarrassing, but being known as the lady with the tiny bladder is bound to be worse.
The next time you have to run for a bus, know that most of us have been in your shoes. We are happy to wait for you and we feel your embarrassment. But we will still laugh long and hard if you fall.
We are also riding the bus because gas is expensive, and we are college students who need to save our extra money for things like ramen noodles and rent.
There comes a point in most bus-riders' lives when we are running late and arrive at the bus stop just as the bus is pulling away. This is a moment of panic for bus-riding patrons. Before we decide to make what seems to be a futile run to catch the ever-shrinking ISU bus fleet, we make a few mental calculations. If it is the morning bus we are missing, we ask ourselves how important our classes are for that day. According to Murphy's Law, any day in which we are about to miss the bus will be a day in which our presence is required in the classroom. The next question we ask ourselves is if we can afford to drive to Pocatello. The answer to that question was decided the day we bought our bus pass.
If we are missing the bus ride home, things are much more serious. Will there be another bus in an hour or is this our last ride home? Again, because of Murphy's laws, this will be the last ride home and so we make a run for the bus as we watch it slowly disappear over the horizon.
The decision to run usually starts with a hand wave and a shout of "Wait!" Then we are running, fully aware that many bus riding patrons are looking out the window, irritated that the whole bus is now running late and are secretly hoping that the runner drops something or falls down.
I received the wonderful opportunity to run after the massive automobile last week. Of the thoughts that ran through my mind as I chugged toward the bus, the most pressing was "how much of me is jiggling.?" It is one of the strange things about being a woman. The body consciousness and the thought that we are not looking svelte and graceful constantly nags. Of course, in pursuit of catching up to a vehicle that can go at least ten times faster than I could ever dream, I dropped my tablet and had to stop, go in reverse to pick it up and then start running again.
Luckily for me, the bus driver has seen my face many times and he waited for me. He even politely assured me that it was no problem. Once I found a seat, I planted myself and huffed and puffed for a few minutes. Then I congratulated myself on not missing the bus and also my recent decision to change to the more powerful deodorant.
It is embarrassing to run for the bus. It cannot be anywhere near as embarrassing as the story I heard from a dental hygienist who made the bus on time, but required a stop at the rest area. Running to the bus is embarrassing, but being known as the lady with the tiny bladder is bound to be worse.
The next time you have to run for a bus, know that most of us have been in your shoes. We are happy to wait for you and we feel your embarrassment. But we will still laugh long and hard if you fall.
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